Electroprocessing machine



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May 25, 1937. c.- G. MILLER ELECTROPROCESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1954 16 SheetsSheet l4 CONSTANTINE G- MILLER,

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ELECTROPROCESS ING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1934 1a Sheets-Sheet 16- o o o 36 I69 .J'n/u CONSTANT/NE 6. MILLER! By cwmum Patented May 25, 1937' 'ATENT OFFICE.-

ELEOTROPROCESSING MACHINE tion of Illinois Application October 25, 1934, Serial No. 749,946

11 Claims.

This invention relates to electroprocessing machines and, in particular, to such machines wherer in the work pieces travel during processing and are transferred from tank to tank by appropriate mechanism. I v

One object of my invention is to provide an electroprocessing machine having traveling work carriers, and including moving means positively engaging these work carriers for transferring the work pieces over the partitions between the processing tanks. v

Another object is to provide an electroprocessing machine of the traveling type wherein the work carriers are positively engaged by moving mechanism adapted to raise the carrier arms over the tank partitions as the carrier arms pass around the end of the machine.

Another object is to provide such a machine wherein thecarrier arms are provided with means for holding a pair of work pieces, this holder being adapted to maintain the work pieces in a given direction during the raising and lowering operations. I

Another object is to provide an electroprocessing machine of the traveling typewherein the work carrier is moved by appropriate means, and transferred from tank to tank by a moving memher which positively engages a portion of the carrier, the contacting portions being adapted to maintain favorable angles of contact with one another regardless of whether the carrier arm is raised or lowered.

Another object is to provide an electroprocessing machine of the type having carrier arms which move in an orbital path, these carrier arms being engaged at intervals by transfer members operating in timed relationship with the remainder of the mechanism in such a manner as to lift the carrier arm and the work pieces over the partitions between the tanks when the carrier arm arrives at such points, the transfer member having a contact portion of such configuration as to engage a portion of the carrier arm in such a manner as to allow the carrier arm to have the utmost freedom of motion without binding or obliqueforces interfering with its progress.

Another object is to provide a transfer mechanism for an electroprocessing machine wherein the carrier arms are moved in an orbital path and raised or lowered by movable transfer members operated in timed relationship therewith, the transfer members having contact plates or shoes which are movably operated in such a manner ,that they offer the contact plates at the most suitableangle to the follower portion .of the anism;

carrier arm regardless of the position thereof whether lowered or raised.

Another object is to provide an end transfer mechanism for an electroprocessing machine having toggle means for accelerating the speed of transferring the work pieces over partitions between end tanks, thereby economizing on the length of machine required, as well as shortening the time required for such transfer operations.

Another object is to provide an adjustable cam mechanism for operating the transfer members in adjustably timed relationship with the carrier arms. a

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the electroprocessing machine of my invention with a part of the tanks removed to show the mechanism more clearly, and employing a single work holder;

Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the machine shown in Figure 1, with the driving unit and cover plate removed to show the underlying mechanism more clearly;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine, shown in Figure l, at the loading end thereof;

Figure 4 is an end elevation similar to Figure 3, but at the opposite end thereof and looking in the opposite direction;

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the machine shown in Figure 1, taken along the line 55 thereof;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of the cathode bar with its mounting and insulation, as shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the machine of Figure 1, showing. a modified form of transfer member engaging the carrier arm and moving it into a raised position;

Figure 8 is a'front elevation of a portion of the transfer mechanism shown in Figure '7;

' Figure 9 is a side elevation similar to Figure 7,

but showing the carrier arm in its lowered position; 1

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail view of a contact plate of the transfer member;

Figure 11 is a modified view of a contact plate similar to that-in Figure 10;

Figure, 12 is a view of a modified form of a contact plate of a ,double type;

Figure 13 is an enlarged cross section along the line |3I3 of Figure 1, showing the conveyor chain, its guard rails and adjacent mech- Figure 14 is a plan view of the driving unit for the machine of my invention;

event that it is not desired to raise and lower the work carriers 38 at these ends, the machine is provided with end guide rails 41 (Figures 1 and 15), these being mounted upon the frame side members 3.

Arranged around the machine are tanks 50, 5|, 52, 53, 5d, 55, 58 and 51. These tanks contain the various solutions employed in the particular electroprocessing operations which are to be carried out by the machine. It is to be understood, of course, that the number of tanks may be increased or decreased as desirable or necessary for the particular process being employed. In the arrangement shown as an example, the tanks 58 and 55 employ electrical current in their utilization. The negative current, for example, is supplied by the cathode bars 68 (Figure 2) supported upon the brackets BI attached to the frame I. The cathode bars 6|) are connected in any suitable manner to a current source of negative polarity.

The tanks 58 and 55 are also supplied with the anode bars 52 arranged along opposite sides thereof, and connected to a current source of positive polarity. From these anode bars 52 may be suspended anodes of any siutabl e form and composition, depending upon the particular process it is desired to carry out. These anodes, for example, may consist of metal bars 63 having hooks 54 at their upper ends, by which they may be suspended from the anode bars I52. It will be observed (Figure 5) that when the work carriers 38 are in their lowered positions, as when moving through the tank 59 or 55, the projections 52 thereon will slidably engage the cathode bars fill and cause the passage of electric current to take place. The cathode bars 68 are secured to their supporting arms'tl by the bolts 55. v

The details of the mounting and construction of the cathode bar (38 are shown in Figure 6. The cathode bar 69 consists of a pair of bars 68 and 87 held in abutment with one another by the bolts 55, securing them to the frame brackets iii. The cathode bar-portions 66 and 67 are insulated, however, from the bolts by the insulating sleeves 69 and from the brackets 6i by the insulating spacers I58. In this manner the cathode.

bar 58 is firmly supported upon the brackets 8i, yet electrically insulated therefrom.

The transfer mechanism whereby the work carr'iers 38 are raised and lowered as they pass the partitions between the successive tanks is shown in Figures 3, 4 and 15 for the so-called "rigid type of transfer member; and in Figures 7 and the so-called toggle the same mechanism as shown in Figure 15.

The transfer mechanism receives power from the same vertical shaft I6 (Figure 15), which drives the sprocket gear I3 by way of the pinion I5. The lower end of the shaft i6 is journaled in the bearing III mounted upon the bearing hanger 7| secured to the vertical frame member 2. Mounted upon the lower end of the shaft I6 is a bevel gear 72 which meshes with a bevel gear I3 mounted upon the horizontal shaft M which is arranged in a longitudinal direction through the machine. The shaft 74 is journaled in the hearing portions I5 mounted upon the various portions of the frame I, and is provided at intervals with cams, generally designated I6 and hereinafter described in detail. The cams 18 in turn are engaged by the transfer mechanism and this in turn raises and lowers the work carriers 38 in response to the action of the cams 76, as driven by the shafts I8 and I4.

9 for type of transfer member.

upon the pins I04 Both types, however, are driveri by substantially The cams I6 (Figures 15, 17, 18 and 19) are adjustable by reason of their construction, so as to enable the transfer mechanism which they drive to be accurately synchronized with the motion of the conveyor chain III, this adjustment being eifected by a quick and simple means which may be adjusted without disturbing the mounting of the cam I6 itself upon the shaft I l. To this end, the cam 16 consists of two main parts, namely, the cam hub 88 and the cam portion proper BI.

The cam hub 80 is keyed to the shaft I4 through the intermediate action of the key 82 engaging the key-way 88 in the shaft 14, and likewise engaging the key-way 84 in the cam hub 80. The key 82 is held in its proper position by means of the set screw 35 which passes through the threaded bore 86in the cam hub 80.

The cam portion 8I consists of an irregularlyshaped body having a peripheral rim 8! with an outer contact surface 88. The configuration of the rim 8? and contact surface 88 may be of any suitable form according to the motion it is de sired to give to the transfer members. The cam portions 8i are loosely mounted upon the shaft I I, and held in engagement with the cam hubs '88 by means of the bolts 89 passing through the arcuate'ly-slotted portions 90 of the former and through the bores ill of the latter. Thus it will be evident from Figures 17 to 19 inclusive that the timing effect of the cam I6 may be altered by loosening the bolts 89 and rotating the cam portion 8| relatively to the cam hub 89. The bolts 89 may then be tightened when the desired point has been reached. In this manner, slight changes in the timing may be brought about without disturbing the general setting of the mechanism.

The transfer mechanism operated by the cams t consists, in its rigid type, of a transfer member, generally designated 95, and of approximately bell-crank form (Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5). The transfer members are pivotally supported upon the shafts 96, these in turn being mounted in the yoke portions 91 of the brackets 98 resting upon the longitudinal frame members 99 (Figures 1, 3 and 5). The frame brackets I00 mounted upon the vertical frame members IIII serve to support the horizontal frame members 99.

The transfer member 95 consists of bell-crank portions (Figures 1 and 15), the lower arms I02 'of which carry rollers I83 at the outer ends thereof, these rollers being rotatably mounted passing therethrough. The rollers I83 serve as cam followers (Figures 5 and 19), and engage the peripheral surface 88 of the cam 16. The pins I M also carry the links I05, whose opposite ends are provided with the stud screws I86 on which are mounted the retaining rollers I87. engaging the inner surfaces of the cam rim portions 8'I (Figu1e 19). construction the rollers I03 are maintained in engagement with the cam surfaces 88 of the cam portions BI.

The upper arms III) of the transfer members 95 are provided with the contact plates III mounted upon their outer ends (Figures 3 to 5, and 10 to '12) as by bolts or screws through the holes II2 therein. These contact plates III serve the purpose of engaging the rollers 40 of the work carrier arms 38, so as-to raise and lower the latter according to the motion imparted by the cams I6. The contact plates II I may be of any suitable configuration, such as By this guide members vbars 60.

:clusive.

' bent portions is to engage the roller 40 at a suitable angle regardless of whether the work car'- rier arms 38 'are in their raised or lowered positions. when the cams 16 are rotated by the shaft I4, the upper ends of the transfer members 95 will move in and out, carrying with them the contact plates III at their outer ends. The latter will likewise force the rollers 40 to move in or out, thereby causing the upper. arms 4I of the work carriers 38to' move up and down over the partitions between the various tanks. The work pieces 48 suspended from the hook-shaped outer ends of the work carriers 38 are thereby submerged in the various solutions and lifted from tank to "tank in the desired manner. In the intermediate positions between'the contact plates I I I-of the transfer members 95, the rollers 40 engage either the guide rails43 or the end contact with the apparatus due to the engagement of the projections 42 with the cathode The toggle type of transfer mechanism is shown in Figures '7 and 9. .In this modification, the contact plates are moved by themeans here'- inafter described in order to present the most favorable angle to the rollers 40 at every position of the carrier arms 38 between their lowest and highest positions. To this end, the toggle trans: fer members I20 are of bell-crank form and are indouble arrangement (Figure 8), and are pivotallymounted upon thepin extending between them.- This pin l2I is supported upon the projecting portion I22 of the bracket I23, which in turn issecured by the bolts I24 tothe horizontal frame members 99 mounted upon the frame brackets I00. The lower arm portions I25 carry the contact roller- I26 on the pin I21 at pivotally mounted upon the pin their outer ends (Figures '7 and 9).. The upper arm portions I28 at their outer ends carry thepin I29 which pivotally supports the contact plate I30. The latter is provided with the lever arm I3Iv pivotally engaging the link 132 at the pin connection I33. The lower end of the link I32 is I34 supported by the extended portion I35 of the bracket cam I6 and its adjacent mechanism are ofsubstantially the same construction as previously described, and consequently are designated with the same numerals.

In the operation of the toggle type transfer.

parting an in-and-out motion to the upper arm portion I28thereof. This in turn causes the contact plate I30 to be carried to and fro, engagingv the roller to move the work carrier 38up and down over thepartitions" between the various tanks. At the sametime, the action of the link I32 upon the lever arm I3I attached to the pivoted contact plate I30 causes the contact surface I36 thereof to be presented to the roller 40 at the most favorable angle, regardless of the relative positions of the partsor of the position of the carrier arm.38, whether raised or lowered.

The employment of the present invention permits transfers to be made at the ends of the machine as well as along the sides thereof, thus enabling the work piecesto be successively sub merged in different end tanks. In this manner the overall length of the machine may be substantially reduced and the handling ofthe work Consequently, it will be observed that 4-1; or else they remain out ofthat previously described.

I23. Theconsiderably speeded up. This end transfer mechanism of the present invention is shown in detail in Figures 25 and 26. The rigid type of transfer. arm is shown, but it will be understood that the toggle type previously described may also be used if desired, this ty e employing the pivoted contact plate instead of the rigid one.

In the end transfer mechanism, the fixed end guide rail'4I is replaced by the suitably curved end contact plate I40 (Figure 25), this being mounted upon the outer end of the transfer member I4I.

A suitable recess I42 is provided in the end of the frame I and located between the adjacent guide rail sections 43. The' transfer member l4I shown in Figure 25 is of the rigid type wherein the contact plate I40 is fixedly mounted thereon. In Figure 26, however, the transfer member I43 is of the toggletype havingits contact plate I44 pivotally mounted thereon.

The rigid transfer member MI is provided with a lower arm portion I45 carrying a roller -I46 which is adapted to engage the cam I41 mounted upon the same shaft 14 as the previously described cams 1.6. As thecam I41 rotates, the lower arm portions I45 move. up and down, causing the upper arm portions I48 of the rigid transfer member I4I to move in and out. This in turn causesthe fixed contact plate I40 to move in and out, resulting in the raising and lowering of the work carrier through the engagement of its roller 40 therewith. The rigid transfer member MI is pivotally mounted upon the shaft I49 supported in the shaft bracket I50 in a manner similar to The toggle type of end transfer member l43 (Figure 26) is likewise driven by a cam'I4-1, en-

gaging a roller I46 mounted upon the lower arm portions I5I, whereas the contact plate I44 is pivotally supported upon the ends of the upper arm portions I52. The link I53 interconnects the contact plate I44 with the projecting portion I54 of the'bracket I50 through the pivotal connection provided by the pin I55 (Figure 26) In principle and in general construction, therefore, the end transfer member I43 possesses similar features to the toggle transfer member I20 previously described. In the operation thereof, the rotation of the cam I41 causes the upper arm portions I52 to move in and out in the manner previously described, carrying with them the contact plate I44 and accordingly forcing the rollers 40 upand down in an oblique direction. At the same time, the action of the link I53 upon the pivoted contact plate I44 causes the latter to be tilted around its pivot shaft I56 in such a man her as to present its face at the most efficient angleto the roller 40.

In the arrangements previously described, the

work pieces 48 have been suspended from the singlework carriers 38. It is frequently found more efficient to employ double rows of work pieces and tothat .end a double work holder is used. This is shown in Figures 20 to'26 inclusive.

The work carriers I60 are of bell-crank form as previouslyv described, and are connected to the sprocket chain I0 bysimilar means. The'outer arms I6I of the work carriers I60, however, are 1 I provided with the pivot pins I62, upon which the T-shaped work holders I63 are pivotally mounted. The work holders I63 are also provided with extended portions I64 which are pivotally connected, as by the-pins I65, to the connecting rods I66, the opposite ends 'ofwhich are pivotally connected as at the pins I61 to the projectionsl68 of the work carriers I60. The inner-arms I89 "thereof carry theusual contact rollers '40. The 

